Handled implement hanger



7, 7.. Q. A. 'MENZEL 2,413,839

HANDLED IMPLEMENT HANGER Filed Nov. 25, 1945 Q INVENTOR. W 1 BY Patented Jan. 7, 1947 s PATENT OFFICE HANliLED IMPLEMENT HANGER Otto A. Menzel, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Western Hardware and Specialty Manufacturing 00., Milwaukee, Wis.,.a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 23, 1945, Serial No. 630,367

This invention relates to improvements in handled implement hangers.

A general object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and easily manipulated hanger adapted for permanent mounting 3 Claims. (Cl. 24249) at an elevation on a, wall or vertical support for V releasable engagement with a portion of the handle of a broom or similar implement for the purpose of conveniently hanging the implement in a compact, orderly position in a closet or other place of storage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handled implement hanger which will supportingly engage any portion of the handle of an implement to hang the implement compactly against a vertical support at any desired elevation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handled implement hanger which is easily manually manipulated for the purpose of engaging or releasing the handle of an implement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple two-piece implement hanger which may be rigidly mounted on a support by means of a single attaching screw.

A further object of the invention is to provide an implement hanger or supporting device which may be inexpensively manufactured from sheet metal by stamping operations and which is furthermore easily assembled and mounted.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a handled implement hanger which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable, is

adapted for compact disposition against a support, is efficient in operation, and is well adapted for the purposes described. v With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved handled implement hanger, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate 'the' same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved hanger as mounted on a surface portion of a vertical support, showing the hanger in supporting engagement with the handle of a broom;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view through a support on which the hanger is mounted showin the hanger in section and in supporting engagement with the handle of an implement, there being a broken line showing of the manipulation of the hanger to effect initial x 2 engagement with or release from the implement handle;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front plement hanger; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4- 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the improved implement hanger comprises generally a pair of hingedly connected stamped metal plate members 8 and 9. The upper plate 8 is the fixture or mounting plate, and cut out of the center of the stock thereof is a tongue I0 whose lower portion, connected with the stock of the plate 8, is outwardly forwardly rolled or bent, as at I I, to form a bearing boss or sleeve.

The lower plate 9 is formed with an enlarged circular opening I2 therein, of greater diameter than that of the handle of a broom or implement, and above said circular opening I2 there is a substantially rectangular slot I3. The peripheral edges of both plates 8 and 9 may be flanged or turned inwardly slightly whereby, when the hanger is mounted on the face of a vertical support, as in Fig. 2, the planes of the face portions of the plates Band 9 will be off-set outwardly slightly from the support.

Initially, the tongue I0 of the upper plate 8 is formed so that its free end or lip portion is view of the imsomewhat off-set, or bent outwardly from the face of the plate 8. As a result, the assembly of the plates 8 and 9 is facilitated and is easily accomplished by merely engaging said outwardly off-set tongue portion ID in the rectangular slot I3 of the pate 9 and then dropping the plate 9 to the position of Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the bar I4 on the plate 9, at the upper margin of the slot I3, is pivotally engaged within the rolled bearing sleeve II of the tongue I9. It should also be noted that the outer surface of the bar portion I4 may be curved slightly so as to facilitate turning thereof within the sleeve-l I. I g

A purchaser or prospective user receives the improved hanger inthe condition shown in Fig. 3. For use,'the device is then mounted on the face of a vertical support or wall in the manner 'shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the elevation of the is driven into the support l6 fastening the fiattened portion of the tongue l tightly against the face of the support. The yieldability of the metal of the tongue permits it to be bent or flexed inwardly for this purpose. This simple mode of attachment rigidly affixes the upper plate 8 to the support by a single securing member and the lower plate 9 thenhingedly or swing: ingly depends from the plate 8 in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

When it is desired to hang or support an implement, such as a broom l8, the plate 9 is lifted to a horizontal or slightly upwardly tilted position and the handle of the implement i8 is passed through the circular opening I.2 in the plate 9, it being noted that the circular opening [2 is of a diameter somewhat greater than that of standard implement handles of the type to be supported or hung. The implement handle may be shifted vertically relative to the upwardly swung plate 9 until it is at a desired elevation wherein the bottom of the implement is free of the ground or floor. Thereupon, the plate 9 is allowed to drop toward its normal vertical han ing position and in so moving opposite upper and lower edges of the stock of the plate 9 defining the circular opening l2 will bindingly engage portions of the roundhandle of the implement. The weight of the depended implement will insure its being hung in the adjusted position shown in Fig. 1 with gravity urging the hinged plate 9 toward a vertical hanging position and thereby insuring at all times the binding engagement between certain edges of the opening l2 and the handle of the implement. When it is de--' sired to disengage the implement from the hanger, a reversal of the operation described is performed wherein the plate 9 is swung upwardly to release its binding engagement with the implement handle, whereupon the implement handle may be sl d through the opening l2 and free of the plate 9.

The improved hanger is, of course, adapted for use in connection with various types of household implements and tools having straight handles, of round cross section, such as a broom, mop, rake, etc. The compactness of the device adapts it for mounting in closets or on enclosure walls and provides for the releasable, neat, compact hanging of implements of the type described. The device is furthermore easy and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and mount, and manipulation thereof to engage and disengage an implement handle is easily and rapidly effected. The improved handled implement hanger is furthermore of novel construction and is well adapted for the purposes set forth;

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. An implement hanger, comprising a vertical support, a fixture plate disposed on a face portion thereof, said fixture plate having a tongue projecting inwardly of the plane of said fixture plate and in surface contact with the support,

a single securing'member: passingthrough said contacting portion ofthetongue andinto the support, and a complementary plate hingedly dependedfrom the fixture plate to. normally hang vertically and movable through a substantial are relative to the fixture plate, said complementary plate having an opening therein of a size to freely receive the handle of an implement when the plane of said plate is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the implement handle, and to effect binding engagementbetween portions of the implement handle and stock of. the complementary plate bordering said opening when the complementary plate is depended from the fixture plate at an oblique angle to the axis of the implement handle.

, 2. An implement hanger. comprising a vertical support, a fixture plate disposed on a face portion thereof, a. yielding tongue integral with the stock of said plate and having an outwardly rolled portion projecting outwardly beyond the plane of said plate to form a bearing sleeve, a complementary plate having a slot in its upper portion permitting hooking engagement with said tongue, the upper edge of said complementary plate adjacent said slot turnably lodging within said bearing sleeve whereby said complementary plate is hingedly depended from the fixture plate to hang vertically for swinging movement through a substantial arc, said tongue,

above its rolled portion. projecting inwardly of the plane of said fixture plate and in surface contact with said support, and a single securing member passing through the last-mentioned portion of the tongue of the fixture plate and into the support, said complementary plate having an opening therein of a size to freely receive the handle of an implement when the plane of said plate is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the implement handle, and to effect binding engagement between portions of the implement handle and stock of the complementary plate bordering said opening when the complementary plate is depended from the fixture platev at an oblique angle to the. axis of the implement handle.

3. An implement hanger, comprising a fixture plate adapted to engage the face of a vertical support and having a central opening therein,

.a yielding tongue integral with a lower portion of the plate and havingv a. bearing sleeve portion lying outwardly of the plane of said plate, a complementary plate having a slot in its upper portion engaged by saidtongue, the upper edge of said complementary plate adjacent said slot .turnablyf lodging within. said bearing sleeve por- 

